The Long History of the Future traces the real story behind modern innovations, highlighting the scientists, engineers, and inventors who created them—and the challenges they faced. These stories offer a grounded view of how technologies truly develop: you may never own a fully driverless car, but automated braking and steering can still cut crashes; smart cities won’t be perfect, but they can make services more efficient; hyperloops may fail, but high-speed trains are already transforming travel. Looking ahead, Nicole Kobie shows that while we often think today’s tech is the peak, the future always surprises us—and there’s plenty still to come.